Intake valve deflector



Feb 4, 1936- J. R. MERRIAM INTAKE VALVE DEFLECTOR' Fied May e, V19522 2 Sheets-Sheet l Feb 4., 1.936. J. R. MERRHAM INTAKE VALVE DEFLECTOR Filed May 6, 1932 2 Sheets-SheetR Patented Feb. 4, 1936 Unirse srres rrENr ortica .Ime Roger Merriam, Waukesha, Wis., assigner to Waukesha Motor Company, Waukesha, Wis., 0rl10ration of Wisconsin Application May s, 1932, serial No. 609,635

5 Claims.

'This invention relates to internal combustion engines. and has to do with an engine of thev aspiration type in which a combustible mixture of air and fuel is drawn into the cylinder during the suction stroke of the piston.

The primary object of my invention is to obtain high turbulence and rapid combustion of the fuel mixture charge, assuring high efficiency and smooth operation o1' the engine. Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear from the detail description.

In the drawings:-

Figure l is a vertical sectional view through the head of an engine embodying myA invention, taken substantially in the plane of section line I-I of Figure 2;

Figure 2 1s a fragmentary underneath View of the head;

Figure 3 is a. sectional View taken substantially `on line 3 3 oi' Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on line l-I of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view through the head and the cylinder of the engine taken substantially on the plane o1' line 5-5 of Figure 1, certain parts being shown in elevation;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective View of the under side of the engine head.

I have illustrated my invention, by Way of example, as applied to an internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder I, a head 2 suitably mounted upon the cylinder block 3, there being a gasket 4 disposed between the cylinder block and the head, and a piston 5 operating in the cylinder. While I prefer to have the head 2 separate from the cylinder block, my invention comprehends an engine in which the cylinder block and the head are formed integrally. The cylinder block and the head are provided with suitable openings and spaces for circulation therethrough of a cooling liquid, such as water, in a known manner.

The head is provided, in its under face, with a combustion chamber 6, the lower portion l of whichis slightly reduced and is disposed in registry with the upper end of the cylinder bore to form a continuation thereof. Head 2 is provided with fuel mixture inlet and burned gas outlet passages 8 and 9, respectively, which open, at their outer ends, through the sides of the head. These passages open, at their inner ends, through the ceiling or roof I0 of the combustion chamber and are controlled by valves II and I2, respectively. These Valves are of the Well known type agd are mounted and operated in a Well known (Cl. 12B-191) manner, the openings controlled by the valves being suitably shaped to provide seats for such valves.

A deflector I3, formed integrally with ceiling III, depends from the roof of combustion chamber 6 and extends from the Wall of this chamber adjacent inlet valve II about this valve for a portion of the circumference thereof. This delector approximates a segment of the combustion" chamber and increases in height from the circumferential wall thereof and toward the inlet valve II, as shown. The valves Il and I2 are preferably disposed in alignment diametrically of the chamber 6 and the cylinder bore, the plane of the axes of these valves coinciding with the plane of the cylinder axis, although this is not essential. A deiiecting element I4, in the form of a shoulder formed integrally With the deflector I3 and with ceiling I0, extends from the inner side of Valve Il toward the opposite side of the surrounding wall of the combustion chamber. This element decreases in height toward the surrounding Wall of the combustion chamber' and terminates short of such Wall to provide a restricted passage I5 between the outer end of element I4 and the adjacent Wall of the chamber, this passage giving access from the main portion of the combustion chamber to a space I 6 enclosed by deflector I3 and element Iii and a portion of the circumferential wall of the combustion charnber. It will be noted that element I4 is inclined outwardly away from the exhaust valve I2 and is disposed at the same side of the plane of the axes of the valves II and I2 as is the deflector i3. The space I6 is thus of materiallyless volume than the remaining space of the combustion chamber. Due to the arcuate shape of deilector I3, the space I6, at the portion thereof extending about the inlet valve I I, is of approximately spiral shape, converging in Width toward the circumferential Wall of the combustion chamber and to the outer end of deflector I3.

Referring more particularly to Figures l, 3, 4 and 6, the deector I3 extends about the inlet valve II in close proximity thereto and is of proper height to close the space between this valve and its seat for a portion of the circumference of the Valve, when the valve is in open position, as in Figure l. Valve ll is disposed With its axis parallel to the cylinder axis and, -when in open position, defines, with the adjacent portion of ceiling I0, an inlet opening I'I which is disposed approximately tangentially of the combustion chamber and the cylinder bore and toward the exhaust valve I2. The under face Ila of deflector Il is inclined .downwardly from ceiling I0 and inwardly from the side wall of combustion chamber 6 to the lower edge of the deector. A pocket Il opens into the combustion chamber and accommodates the inner end of a spark plug I9, of known type, mounted in the head in a well known manner.

On the suction stroke of the piston 5, the fuel mixture is drawn through opening I1 and enters the combustion chamber, this entering fuel mixture flowing parallel with the ceiling of the chamber and tangential to the chamber wall and the cylinder wall. The entering charge is thus crowded toward the surrounding wall of the combustion chamber and is caused to flowl over tha hot exhaust valve ,I2 in contact therewith, as indicated by the arrows in Figure 2. The heat of the exhaust valve is thus utilized to vaporize the entrained globules or particles of unvaporized fuel, thereby cooling the exhaust valve and eliminating a possible hot spot in the combustion chamber. The fuel mixture charge is then crowded toward and through the restricted passage I5 by the wall of the combustion chamber and the deiiecting element I4. As the charge enters the space I6 it expands and is then again crowded toward the wall of the chamber by the deflector I3 so as to be again contracted, the charge being then deflected downwardly by the deflector I3 into the cylinder bore and toward the cylinder wall. During the compression stroke of the piston, the charge of f uel mixture, which has had high rotary turbulence imparted thereto, due to its tangential 'admission to the V engine of the aspiration type, a cylinder, a piston operating in the cylinder, a head provided with fuel mixture inlet and burned gas outlet passages opening through the head over the cylinder area, overhead inlet and exhaust valves controlling said passages, a downwardly projecting defiector extending about the inlet valve at one side and for a portion of the circumference thereof remote from the exhaust valve. the area of the ceiling of said cylinder head between the other side of said inlet valve and said exhaust valve being flat and substantially normal to the cylinder axis and free of downward projections tending to deflect the entering charge away from said exhaust valve, said defiector being of a height to partially close the space between the under face of the head and the upper face of the inlet valve when the latter is in open position thereby causing the entering charge of fuel mixture to flow toward and over the hot exhaust valve in contact therewith, and spark means for igniting the fuel mixture charge.

2. In combination in an internal combustion engine, a cylinder, a pision operating in the cylinder, a head provided with inlet and burned gas outlet passages opening through the head over the cylinder area, overhead valves controlling said passages, a deilector on the under face of the head and extending downwardly therefrom about the inlet valve for a portion of the circumference thereof remote from the exhaust valve, and a deilecting element extending from the inner end of the deilectorA and inclined toward the surrounding wall of the combustion chamber. said element terminating short of said wall and denning therewith a restricted passage for the charge, said deilector being of a height to partially close the space between the under face of the head and the upper face of the inlet valve when the latter is in open position thereby causing the entering charge to flow toward and over the hot exhaust valve in contact therewith.

3. In combination in an internal combustion engine, a cylinder and a head together defining a cylinder and a substantially cylindrical combustion chamber opening into the upper end of the cylinder, the head having inlet and burned gas outlet passages opening through the head over the cylinder area, a piston operating in the cylinder, and overhead. valves controlling said passages, the head being provided with a deflector depending from the roof of the combustion chamber and approximating a segment thereof, the defiector increasing in height inwardly of the combustion chamber from the circumferential wall thereof and toward the inlet valve, one end portion of the detlector extending about a portion of the circumference of the inlet valve remote from the exhaust valve and acting to direct the entering charge toward and over the hot exhaust valve in contact therewith, a portion of the inner side of the defiector extending from the inner side of the inlet valve along a chord of the combustion chamberA and tapering in height toward the circumferential wall of the latter.

4. In combination in an internal combustion engine, a cylinder, a piston operating therein, a head defining a combustion space overlying the cylinder and provided with inlet and burned gas outlet passages opening through the head over the cylinder area, overhead valves controlling said passages, and a deflcctor on the under face of the head and extending downwardly therefrom about the inlet valve for a portion of the circumference of the latter remote from the exhaust valve, said defiector being of a height to partially close the space between the under face of the head and the upper face of the inlet valve when the latter is in open position and acting to cause the entering charge to iiow toward and over the hot exhaust valve in contact therewith, the

.deflector being inclined downwardly and inwardly of the cylinder for deilecting the charge downwardly into the cylinder after said charge has flowed substantially completely around the combustion space at the upper end of the cylinder.

5. In combination in an internal combustion engine, a cylinder, a piston operating therein, a head defining a combustion space overlying the cylinder and provided with inlet and burned gas outlet passages opening through the head over the cylinder area, overhead valves controlling said passages. and a deiiector cn the under face of the head and extending downwardly therefrom about the inlet valve for a portion of the circumference of the latter remote from the exhaust valve, said deflector being of a height to partially close the space between the under face of the head and the upper face of the inlet valve when the latter is in open position and I monaca the hot exhaust valve in contact therewith, the deiiector being inclined downwardly and inwardly of the cylinder for deecting the charge down- AWarclly into theL cylinder after said charge has iiowed substantially completely around the combustion space at the upper end of the cylinder. 

